Concerning prior work of others, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,442, granted Aug. 2, 1994, which discloses “triple layer” fabric portions adhered to both sides of a pliant sheet impregnated with water hardenable material. However, this proposed construction appears to be relatively complex, will be costly to produce, and the construction precludes uses where overlapping bonding of the casting material is appropriate. Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,295, in which the possibility of using double knit material as an undercast padding is mentioned. However, no constructional details or specific information is provided.
Orthopedic casts or supports for immobilization of injuries normally include an absorbant soft padding material next to the skin and stiff or rigid outer casting material. Because casts are normally kept on for several weeks, they may become damp or wet from the cast application, sweat, rain, or from swimming, as examples. When the inner padding is wet for long periods of time, it is harmful and irritating to the patient. In severe cases, maceration of the skin can occur.